Do your research on multiplatform games

by used view

Alright fanboys, listen up. Just because you swear by a certain console of choice doesn’t always mean that your games are the best for that console. Now if you only own that console, obviously you want the game for the console you own. If you however are fortunate enough to have a choice between multiple platforms, choosing one after doing some research is the best way to go. Multiplatform games offer us a choice that some of us don’t always take full advantage of.

Exclusive Content

Games such as Assassin’s Creed tend to have a relationship with Sony where exclusive content comes to the PS3 versions of the games. Xbox tends to get Call of Duty content early. There are perks that tempt one to buy for one console as opposed to another. Do your research. If you are not buying the game on release day, this gives you even more time to do said research. Look at reviews and find out if there are fatal flaws in the version of the game you may want to purchase, while also looking for advantages that one version may have over the others.

Framerate

Quite important for action games, shooters online, and fighting games. Every frame matters. Drops in framerate can ruin a game. Anyone looking at my recent Raptr activity knows what example I will use here. I bought the PS3 version of DmC. The PC version came out like a week or two later. I knew I wanted the PC version since my PC could actually run it, but I didn’t want to wait to play the game. Months later, after buying and playing the PC version, I wonder why I ever bought the PS3 version. The PC version runs at least at twice the framerate of the PS3. It makes all the difference when it comes to dodging on time and platforming sections of the game. The framerate is actually above sixty if your rig can handle it. If you have the option to play this game on the PC, there is no competition. Play it on the PC.

Pricing

Let’s pretend the Wii doesn’t exist (not hard to pretend, I know). The PC used to always save you about ten dollars when it comes to buying a PC game. Some of the bigger developers though still get away with charging sixty dollars for a game, even if it is the digital copy. DmC (digital only) and BioShock Infinite are two examples. If I’m gonna pay sixty dollars anyway, I better at least have a box. I went with the retail PC version for Infinite. That being said, because of some games being digital, Steam, GMG, and other related sites do offer bundles on games that either save you money or offer said game with additional games to get you to buy. You’re not gonna find that with a console game. Recently however, the PS3 did have a temporary sale on God of War: Ascension (online only) through GameStop. If you bought the game for the retail sixty dollars, you also got the God of War Saga (A forty dollar value and contains the previous five games) for free. Now that is one heck of a deal.

This will win lots of people over, especially upon launch. Which console pre-order will get you the most statues/soundtracks/whatever else they want to throw in? Also, which option gets you the most pre-order bonuses? The latter (mostly in digital form) are sometimes available later on as DLC, but they get you by saying it’s a pre-order exclusive. Most of the time, what they really mean is “early access” because down the road, you will be able to purchase said content.

You’re all probably looking at this and thinking, well duh! Why would you make a post like this?!? Everyone knows that! Sure, we all know this information, but maybe it’s time we all took a step back and evaluated our gaming purchases. Do you really take everything into consideration before buying a game, or do you just throw your money at the latest release? Injustice, a recently released fighting game, went on sale at Toys ‘R Us not long after being released. I don’t even think it was a month after release, and it already went on sale for thirty five dollars. It might still be now for all I know. When a game is multiplatform, it should mean that it’s time to evaluate your purchase. What will give you the best deal for your money?

Next time you consider buying any game, take that step back and think for a while. Chances are, we can all make changes to our gaming spending habits. Even if we only save about five to ten dollars each gaming purchase, eventually it will all add up to another sixty dollars, which means one more game that you otherwise wouldn’t have had.